Fourteen additional hostages who were held by Hamas in Gaza have been released and are now back in Israel.
Among the hostages was a four-year-old Israeli-American girl, Abigail Edan, who spent her birthday in captivity after tragically losing both parents during a kibbutz attack on October 7th. The release of the hostages was announced by President Biden, who shared the good news that a third group of hostages, including Abigail, has been delivered to freedom. As the young girl begins her journey towards healing after a terrible trauma, she is now receiving the love, care, and supportive services she needs in Israel.
In addition to Abigail, 16 more hostages, including Israelis and foreign nationals, including women and children, were handed over by Hamas overnight. Among them was nine-year-old Emily Hand, who was joyfully reunited with her father in an Israeli hospital. However, the reunion almost didn’t happen when Hamas announced a delay in the exchange, raising complaints about the insufficient delivery of aid to northern Gaza.